Improvements to FlightAware Maps & Understanding Map Behavior

!!!!!!!!!!!!Important Update from FA from Questions Aboujt Flight Tracks and MH12!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 25 2014 at 1:15am Central Time Zone:



Now an update to the previous posts that have (almost?) all been "down voted" on this site:

http://flightaware.com/user/mdholmes


I appreciate the reply you guys sent me via email the the other day, and will post it here, as I promised.

Mr. Baker, the only thing that interests me is factual information. Unfortunately, I'm now more confused than ever; are you?

I'm only interested in the truth about FlightAware--what they can do, and what they can't do, what they're sure about, and what they're not sure about. Please tell us a story and stick to it:

First, we in the FA "community' were told that FA knew or implied that they knew exactly where the flights were, not just on the 17th, but on days before that: ALL the tracks were GREEN.


1. A still (for now) functioning link with "actual" location information from the 17th: REPORTED ON THE !7th in this article:

http://flightaware.com/news/article/Malaysia-Airlines-Flight-17-MAS17MH17-crashes-in-Ukraine/195

" Our last position was at 13:20 UTC (9:20 EDT) just West of the Eastern border of Ukraine (48.135, 38.503) and the flight was cruising normally at 33,000 feet. This part of the world has limited coverage for us, so gaps of minutes or even an hour are not uncommon. I attached a flight tracking map with the green line depicting the route flown. "


and the same story showing a link from the 16th, with almost ZERO True Location Data at all, but still part of the original story links: (almost all of the track is GRAY)

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/MAS17/history/20140716/1000Z/EHAM/WMKK

I"m not sure exactly how long it takes to fly from POLAND to INDIA, but i bet it's longer than "as much as an hour." It looks to be further that flying from LAX to NEW YORK, right?

this "revised" link, shows a "gap" (estimated) timeframe from 644am to Noon or so....that's what.....over FIVE HOURS, right?

2. A very "informative" interview that took place on the 18th: (starts at about 7:20 or so):

http://www.bloomberg.com/video/the-mh17-blame-game-bloomberg-west-07-18-BOPZ62VJQuCR~EOdJ82~lA.html

Here was your explanation about the capabilities of FA when asked about
your precision and accuracy of tracking flights:

(8:39):

"On (OUR) website you can see typically (ABOUT three or four positions a minute (…UH…) that allows us to draw a (REALLY NICE,) smooth map that shows an accurate flight track.

However, (WE UH) sometimes we have up to three or four positions (PER) second that is not available on the website."

Didn't you tell the Bloomberg Reports this when they were SPECIFICALLY asking you about FLIGHT MH17? On the 18th of July, 2014, right? Were you providing the 6 plus HOUR GAP information to the "investigators and the government" that you guys are NOW reporting, since Midday Monday this week, the 21st of JULY 2014, under your "revised" "Map Behavior",

http://flightaware.com/news/article/Improvements-to-FlightAware-Maps--Understanding-Map-Behavior/196

or the original "map behavior" story from the 18th?

So, what is it?

a. "Three or Four positions per minute" and "a really smooth, accurate flight track" OR
b. "Gaps of minutes or even and hour" OR
c. 6 or 7 plus hour gaps as illustrated in your "current map behavior" models?

More importantly, how is it possible that on the 18th, in your interview with Bloomberg, at about 13:29, didn't the female reporter ask you:

"HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THE FLIGHT PATH OF MH17 OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS AND MONTHS, AND AND HOW DIFFERENT YE-YESTERDAY’S FLIGHT PATH, OR SIMILAR IT IT WAS TO THAT?"

And didn't you reply:

"YEAH, WE’VE LOOKED AT IT AND WE SEE VERY SIMILAR FLIGHT PATHS. WE SEE VERY SLIGHT UH DIVERGENCES,
<HERE AT 13:46 WE GET A PICTURE OF THE FLIGHT PATHS FROM A MAP>

AND SOME OF THAT IS DUE TO AIRSPACE PARTICULARLY IN EUROPE... WHICH IS VERY COMPLICATED, UH AND THERES A LOT OF CHANGES IN IN HOW AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS WANT FLIGHTS TO BE ROUTED THROUGH EUROPE WHICH IS INCREDIBLY DENSE AIRSPACE, AND BECAUSE THIS FLIGHT ORIGINATED UH RELATIVELY NORTH UH WEST IN EUROPE, IT HAD TO FLY THROUGH A LOT OF EUROPEAN AIRSPACE WHICH MEANS THAT IT COULD UH UH SORT OF ENTER THE UKRAINIAN AREA AT ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT POINTS AND THAT WAS REALLY THE BIGGEST IMPACT THAT WE SAW, UH WAS THAT WHAT POINT IT ENTERED UKRAINE AND THEN WHEN WE SAW UH PRETTY SIMILAR OVERFLIGHTS DAY AFTER DAY UH, NOT JUST WITH MALAYSIAN AIRLINES BUT WITH OTHER CARRIERS AS WELL." (14:21) ?

How is it possible that on the 18th, you can detect "very small divergences" between flights on different days from the same flight number MH17, ESPECIALLY with respect to the flights' position over the UKRAINE, if you actually have nothing but GRAY airspace (estimated) over that entire region as reported on the 21st of July at noon in the "map behavior" article?

How could you possibly know that there were other aircraft "within 100 miles" and maybe even "75 miles" of MH75, if you actually had ZERO visibility, according to your own explanations in your MAP TRACKING DATA, which changed, as far as I can tell on about the 19th or 20th of JULY 2014?

Perhaps MOST importantly, how does all of that jive with your current explanation from the "MAP BEHAVIOR" article still on your site that states: (as of now, 1235am 7 25 2014, anyway):


"Of course, it's still important to understand that THE WHITE LINE REFLECTS A LACK OF DATA, AND YOU CAN'T DRAW ANY CONCLUSIONS FROM IT, since it may suggest that, for example, A FLIGHT FLEW THROUGH A COUNTRY THAT IT REALLY DEVIATED AROUND."

(The caps were my emphasis.) "ANY CONCLUSIONS"?? ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT???

You ARE aware, Mr. Baker, of these stated limitations in your company's reporting of flight data, your bread and butter, right, as of Monday the 21st of july, 2014, in this article quoted just above about "flying AROUND a"(n) (ENTIRE) "COUNTRY." But......because of a "lack of DATA" FA really just doesn't have a clue, for sure. You are aware that that is the message FA is sending to the Community THIS WEEK, right???

What is the VECTOR on your message, Mr. Baker? I'm afraid some of the course deltas could be creating some circulatory problems in your company's collective noggins. You guys might want to look into some G suits for the whole board. Or maybe you can just send a pair of G-Pants to all of us in the Community. I'm getting a little light headed myself.

If you're not aware, Mr. Baker, you might want to go and read that article again for yourself. I had to read it 2 or 3 times myself to keep from believing that I had had some kind of stroke.

Since last week, did you guys LOSE all your "ground stations" or data sources or government cooperation or satellite feeds, that simply erased your ability to "see" in the entire region between western Europe and India, or .......WHAT????

Are you LOSING data streams and sources, or, as you published on MONDAY 7 21 2014 at noon: "We are constantly working to improve our coverage and more data sources are added almost daily."

I figured that maybe this has something to do with this group that you ARE a member of, right?:

http://www.fly.faa.gov/ASDI/

http://www.fly.faa.gov/ASDI/asdidocs/ASDI_Active_Subscribers_and_Contacts.pdf

What kind of group is that, Mr Baker, and what do you guys do? Maybe this is none of the "business" of the "community" of FA, but if it helps explain all these "changes" or discrepancies or contradictions or whatever they are, I'd sure like to hear it, and I'm pretty sure others would as well. So (PLEASE) don't "down vote" me on this one. By now you guys have got to have figured out that eventually this is all going to be explained, anyway, right?

If it weren't for the fact that these obvious contradictions are being used by powerful people around the world to make arguments about sending our country into a new World War, I probably could keep my sense of humor about it.

Unfortunately, for now, it's not funny, and if you guys think you can continue to bury my questions and pretend no one's paying attention, you might check the search engines. They're starting to warm up and the Oil Pressure is starting to rise, if you know what I mean.

More to the point, by this time next week, I'm pretty sure that virtually every news outlet in the world is going to be talking about this, and if that doesn't happen, I will personally do what it takes to be sure that these questions are asked until they are answered, and we collectively, can regain our altitude and horizon, or at least stop the spinning so we can see where we are, and who's flying this war machine.

If profit is your motive, as a member of your "community" I suggest respectfully that you guys work to regain your credibility. If propaganda is aim, your losing altitude, and quick, in my humble opinion.

Respect yourself, and Respect us, your members. Don't feed us anymore manure.

Speaking of manure, these are the "official" answers that I have so far, which I will quote directly from the email string.


//////////////////Begin Email String with MY questions and FA's Answers for NOW//////////////



From: FlightAware <support@flightaware.zendesk.com> Add to Addresses Block Sender

Date: Tuesday, July 22, 2014 12:02 PM

To: Holmesmd <holmesmd@cox.net> Add to Addresses

Subject: Request #28968: How would you rate the support you received from FlightAware?

Size: 31 KB
##- Please type your reply above this line -##
Hello Holmesmd,

We'd love to hear what you think of our customer service. Please take a moment to answer one simple question by clicking either link below:

How would you rate the support you received?

Good, I'm satisfied

Bad, I'm unsatisfied

Here's a reminder of what your ticket was about:

Collin Whi
Collin White (FlightAware)
Jul 21 06:12 PM

Mr. Holmes,

Per your questions below please find my responses numbered in accordance with yours.

You can see why this change happened at http://flightaware.com/news/article/Improvements-to-FlightAware-Maps--Understanding-Map-Behavior/196
We are not saying it did not change, please see #1
No, This change was made to better understand the information. As mentioned in the link in #1, you can also view the raw data in the track log and graph. This change will now allow you to better visualize the raw data on the map.
As mentioned in #3, there was not an outside request to make the change, to my knowledge.
I do not understand the question as there is nothing in your email regarding record keeping.
As mentioned in #1, this change is to better improve readability of the data and we continually work to improve coverage areas to improve data for the FlightAware community.
Collin White
FlightAware
+1 713 877 9011

Learn about FlightAware Global and Premium Accounts: http://flightaware.com/commercial/

Andrew Tay
Andrew Taylor (FlightAware)
Jul 21 11:01 AM

I am very sorry for this confusion. This flight actually operates outside of our primary coverage area, so there are certain portions where it displays estimated positions. We originally showed some estimated positions for the flight after the crash, but these have since been removed to ensure that only the live positions displayed.

You can always check the track log & graph for any flight to see which portions of the tracking were displayed in estimated positions and which ones were received from live positions.

Best regards,

Andrew Taylor
FlightAware
+1 713 456 3074

Learn about FlightAware Global and Premium Accounts: http://flightaware.com/commercial/

Holmesmd
Holmesmd
Jul 21 10:20 AM

Subject: Flight Aware dot com: Please Explain ASAP!

Monday 931am 7 21 2014

Below you will see the post that I made to your website early this morning at about 224am Central Time.

This post represents evidence, now verified by other observers that Flight Track Data has been altered in
your computer system regarding at least one and possibly multiple histories for MAH Flight MH17.

Specifically on the days leading up to the tragic events on 4 17 2014, and specifically on the 14th July 2014:

1. Your site previously reported that the MH17 flight went well south of the Russian / Ukraine Border, flying OVER the Azov Sea, as shown and observed by many commentators, as well as a screen print that I will try to attach along with
2. The current version of your report for the flight MH17 on 4 17 2014 NOW HAS CHANGED, and clearly shows the flight flying directly over the 90 degree north to east "corner" of the Territorial Border, which is directly over the war zone.

I will attempt to attach a PDF of the two screen prints, one from Tyler Durden's report (zerohedge dot com) reported by globalresearch dot ca.

I am covering copy of this request to Tyler as well as posting it to several sites in an effort to get this word out. I will relay the message to several journalists, as well as GlobalResearch dot ca, and ensure that your members also see this post, as well as your response.

Questions:

1. Why did this change happen?
2. If your position is that it did NOT change (flight track on MH17 for 7 14 2014) please explain why you believe this information is incorrect.
3. Did you receive outside requests to alter this information and
4. If so, from WHOM?
5. Is this typical of your record keeping, and if not, why not?
6. If someone did change this information, please explain your plan to continue to maintain the trust you have so clearly earned in the past from all your membership. Please give us ALL the Details.

Thanks,
Mark Holmes
holmesmd@cox.net
CC: Tyler Durden at Zerohedge dot com, GlobalResearch dot CA, Wayne Madsen at WayneMadsenreport dot com, John Caylor at insider-magazine dot com

////begin post////// /////// I apologize for the typos//////////

Is something strange going on at Flight Aware?? Two completely different
versions of the track of MH17 on the 14 th of July, for example, seem to be
documented. One is the oft quoted version that is on this page, in summary in
the graph at the top. That track took the plane on flight MH17 on 7 14 2014 over
the sea of Arzov.

There is even a screen print of it in an article from globalresearch.ca, in the
Russian version.

Then there is the current version early am central time 7 21 2014. That one
shows the plane going directly over the war zone on the 14th.

See the paste that I posed elsewhere with the links. Someone check it out for
yourself now, and see if something looks odd, please.

Here's the detail I posted earlier directly on flightaware.com:


1. Someone apparently changed the FA data online for some of flight paths from
one day to the next. OR
2. Someone did a really good job of forging a screen print of the Russian
version of FA which showed MH17 going far south of the war zone, directly over
the sea of Arzov, as reported by many here. Many have commented that for days
before the 17th, MH17 always flew outside the war zone.
3. Look at this link and pay attention to the departure and arrival times etc
for the 14th of July, and you see FA version of the 14th MH17 flight from a
couple of days ago with path Nowhere the border zone:

http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-flight-path-of-mh17-was-changed-july-17-plane-r
oute-was-over-the-ukraine-warzone/5392182

4. BUT...LOOK AT THE CURRENT FA MODEL....IT SHOWS THE same exact flight, but NOW
IT GOES NORTH OF THE Sea of Arzov, and directly over the Ukraine Ruassian
border......how did this happen??

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/MAS17/history/20140714/1000Z/EHAM/WMKK

5. Look yourself....I'm seeing a huge discrepancy on the track of MH17 on the
14th right now at 110am Monday 7 21 2014....do you see it?

What is going on FA??? Who is altering data, you or the authors of the story
quoted by globalresearch.ca??


/////////end of post//////


This communication may be unconstitutionally collected and stored by elements of the United States Government or its partners in secret. The parties to this email do not consent to the collection, storage, or retrieval of this communication and any derived metadata, as well as printing, copying, re-transmitting, disseminating, or otherwise using it in a manner prohibited by the Fourth Amendment and the sovereign rights of an individual person. If you believe you have received this communication in error, please delete it immediately.

Attachment(s)
email to flight aware dot com july 21 2014 1005am central.pdf


///////////////////////END Email String with FA's Answers posted 7 25 am 1:15am/////////

Karl,

Wie geht's?

Ist es moglich, du gesagt hast:

"e-credibility: the non-guaranteeable likelihood that the electronic data
you're seeing is genuine rather than somebody's made-up crap.
- Karl Lehenbauer"?

Sag' mal: Von null - ein hundert, deine stimm: FA E-CRED?

A. Vor der entwicklungen?
B. Und Nachdem?

Gutte Nacht, Und
Bis Bald!

MH

Brian, Good idea. Where do you suggest going? If altering data on this site is no big deal, then maybe you need to lighten up:




From your post:
"UTair Aviation 767-300 NEAR MISS/GO AROUND at Barcelona-El Prat Int'l

No it does not. Crossing a runway while another aircraft is short on final certainly IS a big deal.
(Written on 07/07/2014)(Permalink)"



After all, changing the entire story about how these flights crossed the Ukrane Border in the middle of an international crisis about who shot it down is "NOT" a "big deal", right?

If this information had not been quoted by hundreds of news stories around the world, and was being used to argue who is at fault, and why, maybe I would believe you, but sorry. I don't.